"Dear Lord we ask that You watch over our men as they protect their country. We ask that You guide their hands and hearts, leading them in Your path. We also ask that You keep a watchful eye on us and our children, bringing Your strength and love into our lives through our prayers. And finally, Lord, we ask that if one of our men should fall that You guide them into Your kingdom, showering them with Your love and peace. For that we pray to you dear Lord, Amen."
I issued the Amen, but it was laced with hot tears. The plump woman squeezed my hand and pulled me in for a one armed hug, kissing my cheek and releasing me saying 'May God be with you'.
"And also with you," I reply, issuing her and the little girl another smile as they walk away and Rosa squeezed my hand.
"Ready," she asked, her tanned skin streaked with moisture from tears, her mascara running down with them.
I nod slowly, "As ready as I'll ever be," I issue, waving slightly to the other women as we leave, receiving their smiles and goodbyes with a heavy heart. The walk to the Jeep seemed longer than before, but as we both slumped into the vehicle, we both broke out in sobs, leaning into each other and just letting it out. My throat ached and my back hurt from the sobs. My face burned with the tears that flowed down, seemingly coming from my heart.
The drive home was a silent one, our sniffles being the only sounds besides the low radio, but we both ignored the music. My heart was too ravaged to care about music right now and wouldn't you know as we pulled into the garage Trisha Yearwood's "How Do I Live" started to play. Rosa quickly turned the knob to silence it before the words could really start to affect us.
Climbing from the Jeep and walking up the inside steps behind her, my head pounded making it feel like my eyes were throbbing. Locking the door behind us, she threw her arm around my shoulders once more, leaning her head down.
"Kendall will be here around noon," I say as we walk through the living room and I notice that the smell of the guys boots and gear still lingers, bringing those damn tears back to my eyes. I feel Rosa nod and she pauses at the door to the bedroom Chad and I slept in last night.
"I need to take a nap, I'm wiped out," she yawned and I knew she just wanted to be alone. So did I. I hugged her tight once more, smiling as she kisses my cheek and vanishes into her bedroom, shutting the door only till a crack is remaining open.
I sigh, wiping my hands over my face and enter the room, pressing my back up against the door as I shut it just enough so that it stays open as Rosa did to hers. His smell was everywhere. It bombarded my senses even now, two seconds in and I couldn't stop the sob that broke through. I collapse onto the bed, burying my face in the feather comforter, letting the tears roll down and soak the fabric. My head pounded and my throat burned as I clawed my way up to the pillows, grasping the one Chad had used and holding it tight to me. I squeezed it, breathing deep and taking in his normal Old Spice scent. God help me! Please bring him back soon, I need him.
I needed Chad to breathe. The air didn't seem the same without him. The sky didn't seem the same without him. I held my hand to my chest to try and still my jumping heart, the pain causing me to curl into the fetal position around his pillow. It felt like my heart, lungs and stomach were at war with one another, a hot ache crawling up through my limbs making them sore and heavy. Taking deep breaths in I start to send myself off to sleep, knowing I'll dream of Chad.
This was going to be hard.
Please stay safe Chad, I can't live without you. I don’t want to live without you.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chad
We had been on that damn plane for what seemed like close to twenty hours, landing in the middle of the desert at some secluded base. We were somewhere in Afghanistan, they didn't tell us exactly. They would eventually, when we had all the specifics for our mission. It was dark, pitch black to be exact, as Reno and I grabbed our bags, flinging them over our shoulders as we followed French and the others into the barracks.
There were the typical bunks lined up against the wall, a 'living room' where there was a television, couches and a kitchen with two fridges and stoves. It was just like all the other barracks I've been in on training bases.
"Settle in and get some sleep men," French issues, "we'll be up at 0400 hours training." We all nod, Reno and I select a set of bunks to share, me on bottom with him on top like always. We organized our clothes into our steel foot lockers in silence, the younger guys chattering away like they always did, Timmons being in the middle of it.
Stripping my vest, I go to hang it on the corner of the bed when Reno says, "What was that paper Rhea gave you?"
"Oh yeah," I almost forgot about it. Reaching beneath the flap embroidered with my last name, my fingers grasp the edge of folded paper, pulling it from its dark home. I plop down on my bunk as Reno jumps up in his, his feet hanging over the edge as he talks with Black. There were two pages of line paper folded around a photo and my heart jumped, missing Rhea deeply. The paper even smelled like her when I brought it to my nose, the lingering scent of cinnamon and coconut filling my senses and making my chest tighten.
Unfolding the paper slowly, I catch sight of the photo and can't help but laugh. I remember the day Rhea's mom snapped that picture like it was yesterday. It was Rhea's prom and she had some football star as her date. A real jerk. Randy and I had just shot home from an awards ceremony after being given five days of leave and we were still in our dress uniforms. Rhea looked so good in that form fitting, red silk dress that had a low back and thin straps. It had fit her perfectly and I had had a hard time keeping my eyes, let alone my hands, off of her. After Randy and I had stood there watching their mom snap boring picture after boring picture with Rhea and her date [Rhea fake smiling the entire time] I decided to jump in. I had sauntered up to the broad shouldered football player and told him simply to 'step aside', stepping into Rhea's left as Randy came up to her right.
Her eyes had been wide with shock but they soon softened with appreciation and happiness as we joked and posed in funny ways. This one, this one was a good one because we all had genuine smiles. Randy's displaying his dimples and Rhea's head slightly tilted my way. If she had only known how much I was in love with her back then, we could have had years together by now.
Leaning back onto my pillow I snag the duct tape from my locker and rip a few pieces off, taping the picture directly above where my head will lay every night. "Oh Rhea," I sigh, getting Reno to whip his face over the edge of his bunk, staring down at me with a raised eyebrow.
He just shakes his head, issuing loudly to the room, "Dude, Chief's got it hard for Rooster's lil sis," followed by hearty laughs from the guys. Then quietly I hear a few of the men issue, "May God rest Rooster's soul," seeing others nod out of the corner of my eye.
I join in their prayer hoping that my best friend Randy is finally at peace, nodding my head in solace, turning my attention to the letter. It was Rhea's perfect handwriting, scrawled on each line with doodles in the margin. I closed my eyes for a split second, taking a deep breath and opening them to begin reading.
"Dear Chad,
I know you'll probably start reading this while you're on the plane, but I miss you already. I know you said not to worry, but how can I not worry when you're away from me. These last two weeks have been heaven. A heaven I've waited a long time for and I'm happy we finally have it together.
I know its pathetic saying that I've loved you since I was five, but it’s true. When I was younger, I only thought of it as a crush, an obsession during my teens. There had always been that hole in my heart, even when I had a boyfriend it never did feel right. Until I was with you. My heart has always belonged to you and it always will. I'm sorry that I didn't have the courage to say something, let my feelings be known, but I always just figured that I wasn't deserving of your love.
Sometimes I still feel that way.
I want you to know that you've made me feel better in the last two weeks than I've felt in years, and I only hope to make many more
memories with you when you come home. My mom always knew how I felt about you and she always use to tell me the same thing:
"Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So, love the people who treat you right and forget about the ones who don't. And believe that everything happens for a reason, if you get a chance-take it, if it changes your life-let it. Nobody said that it would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it." And now I see that she was right. I should've taken a chance with you long ago, but I was afraid.
Even now, sitting here while you're in the other room, I can't wait for you to come back and you haven't even left yet. I can't wait to see your smile, especially when you're thinking something devious. I can't wait to run my fingers through your hair, pointing out all the gray patches making you freak out and shoo me away. I'll be so lost without you.
And I need to thank you for trying to handle Duke without killing him. He really is harmless. I'm sure Harlan will keep him in check if your threat doesn't. Please don't worry about him.
Please try and be safe. Don't be too hard on the other guys either, I know how you can be when you're tired. Tell Timmons to keep his smart mouth to himself and tell French and Black I'll make them all the pancakes they want when you guys get home. Tell Reno I'll keep an eye on Rosa and be there whenever she needs me, I'm already planning on going with her to some of her doctor's appointments.
But most of all, remember that I love you. You have my heart so please be kind with it. I'll hold yours safely, keeping it warm and toasty in the palm of my hands. I promise. I also promise to take your mom wedding dress shopping with me like you've been bugging me to since we had dinner with her after you proposed.
I love you! I love you! I love you! I can't say it enough.
Call when you can. I can't wait to Skype with you and see your face.
All my undying love,
Your fiancée,
Rhea Noel Griggs [soon to be Rhea Noel Payne :-)]
I love you!"
I held the paper to my chest as a few tears slid down my face. I don't care if the other guys see me, we've all cried at one time in our lives. I taped the letter up next to the photo, a page on each side of it so her perfect writing can accompany her face when I fall asleep.
"French says we better go lights out," Reno says, leaning down, his brow creasing in concern. I can see his lips move as he's about to say something, but I wave him off.
"It's okay," I try and give him a reassuring smirk and he just nods.
"Night Chief," he says, the others chiming in as their lights go out one by one, leaving me in the dark. Taking my cell from my pocket, I unlock it, the screen illuminating my face. The picture I had taken of Rhea stares back at me, her eyes looking right into my soul.
"I love you Rhea," I whisper to myself, turning my phone off and casting the room into total darkness. My heart was glowing though, thinking of the love that waited for me at home. All packaged up in a little country woman.
THE END
STAY TUNED FOR A PREVIEW FOR PART TWO OF RHEA AND CHAD'S STORY, "Coming Home".
About the Author:
Theresa Marguerite Hewitt grew up in a very small time in Central New York learning to love everything country. She moved to the 'big city' of Buffalo for college where she earned a Bachelors degree. The love of writing has always been a secret passion of hers which was un-earthed by a birthday gift she was given. She enjoys listening to country music [loudly with singing along off key] and riding down long winding country roads with no specific destination in mind. She enjoys her life with her boyfriend, two dogs and two cats.
Keep Reading for a Preview of Book 2 in the Wakefield Romance Series:
Coming Home
DISCOVER OTHER TITLES BY THERESA MARGUERITE HEWITT AT SMASHWORDS.COM:
Paranormal Romance:
The Broadus Supernatural Society Series
Book 1: Siofra's Song: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/221701
Book 2: Siofra's Nightmare: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/250471
Book 3: Siofra’s Change: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/271147
Book 4: Siofra’s Fight: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/301591
Book 5: Rowena’s Revenge: Coming Soon!!!!
CONNECT WITH THE AUTHOR:
TWITTER: TMarguerite
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/TheresaMargueriteHewittAuthor
BLOG: http://www.theresamargueritehewitt.wordpress.com/
EXCERPT FROM BOOK 2:
Coming Home
CHAPTER ONE:
February 23, 2012
Three and a half weeks after Chad's deployment
Rhea
I let out a strangled kind of sigh as I hold my head in my hands, my elbows propped up on my desk. Heels clicking on cement pull my eyes to the open office door without too much movement from my head. If I move too much, I'll probably get sick again. "I think you should go home Rhea," my boss, Jenna says. Today was a casual day at the Victoria's Secret where I was assistant manager and like me, Jenna was in jeans. Her hands on her hips she gives me a concerned look, her brows creasing over her big brown eyes. "Go home and get to the doctor."
"Are you sure," I ask, feeling the vomit try and come back up, swallowing hard to keep it down. I can't make heads or tails of this because I was perfectly fine when I was getting dressed for work this morning at five and my drive in hadn't been any different. Lunch was when it had hit, the cramps and hot flashes. I've thrown up three times so far. Jenna nods her head at me and I try to smile, "Okay, I'll have Kendall come get me."
She leaves me, telling me to say goodbye before leaving and I close my eyes, resting my forehead on the cool metal of my desk. My chair creaks with every little movement I make, the sound like fingernails on a chalk board. I wish Chad was here, I know I'd feel better automatically if I could go home to him. It had been three weeks since I watched him walk onto that B-52, my arms wrapped around Rosa, and I have cried every night since. He hadn't called or Skyped yet and it was killing me. I know, he's a SEAL. I know, he's out there saving people and catching bad guys, doing his country's bidding, but damn did I miss him.
Dana, Chad's mom, has been a great source of strength, occupying me on the weekends when I'm not tending bar at Muncy's, taking me on shopping trips and to afternoon matinees. I was usually exhausted when we returned home, camping out in the living room of my empty house till Sunday afternoon when I would help Dana cook our normal dinner. She is going to kill me when I tell her I came home from work sick. "Ugh," I mutter, rolling my face over and opening my eyes to a picture that sat on my desk.
It brings a smile to my face, the scene before me, along with slight tears. It was Chad and I along with Kendall and Harlan at the bonfire party that night at Harlan's family farm. All of our arms were linked behind our backs, the bonfire behind us and we all looked so happy. My head was on Chad's chest, his blue eyes locked on the camera, seemingly reaching out to me even now. I laugh to myself remembering that right after our friend had taken the picture. Chad had swung me around pulling me close to his chest and kissing me long enough to get whistles and shouts from everyone around. What I wouldn't give right now for him to wrap me in those strong arms of his and kiss me till I'm dizzy.
About twenty minutes later Kendall texts me saying she's out by my truck and I slowly pull on my jacket, it being only forty degrees out today, trudging down the hall I lean on the doorway of Jenna's office. She's typing away at her computer making next week’s schedule. "I'm outta here," I mumble, trying to give her a smile once more as she peers over her glasses at me.
"Alright hun. Go see the doctor," she nods.
"On my way there now," I wave, shuffling through the employee back door out into the chilly day. It was abnormally cold for a Virginia February day, but the weather hadn't been normal during the winter either. I wave at Kendall sitting in her Volkswagen Beetle parked next to my truck and she smiles.
The car is nice and warm as I slide
in, getting a kiss on the cheek from my best friend. Her blonde hair was down and curled, obviously done before she left her job at her mom's salon to come get me, her tan perfect as always and her nails painted pink with little red hearts. "Oh Ray," she said taking my face in her hands, "you don't look good at all."
"I feel like shit," I shrug as she pulls away weaving through the crammed mall parking lot. "You gotta take me to Doc Young." She just nods knowing that I must really feel like crap because I normally only go to the doctor once a year to refill my birth control prescription. Doctor Becca Young's office was in the next town over from Wakefield, being about twenty minutes from home so about forty minutes from my job. I just sigh, too tired and queasy to talk and lean my head against the cool window, watching the thruway fly by.
Thinking over the last three weeks I have no idea how I've survived without Chad and I owe a lot to Kendall, Dana and Harlan. Harlan and Kendall had moved into my old doublewide about a week ago, keeping most of the furniture I had left behind and agreeing to pay three hundred a month, plus taking care of their own utilities. They spent a lot of time at my house though, watching movies and eating dinner with me, sometimes accompanied by Brad Muncy or one of Harlan's little brothers. It was nice, until they left and the house was empty again. Sometimes I would sit on the couch for hours, just sitting there. No television, no radio, just silence.
Two Weeks With a SEAL (The Wakefield Romance Series) Page 20